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Source: gmanews.tv

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Noli Eala couldn’t hide his displeasure over what he perceived as a rough experience for the Smart Gilas team in their debut game in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) against Burger King.

Eala said the Whopper played a "dirty and wicked game" against the young cagers Friday at the Araneta Coliseum in a heated encounter that also saw Wynne Arboleda attack Gilas fan Alain Katigbak. Arboleda has since been suspended for the rest of the 2009-2010 season for his action.

“Physical games are different from rough games and rough games are different from dirty games. Burger King was downright dirty and wicked against Smart Gilas," Eala, who was on the RP pool’s bench the entire game, said on his Twitter account.

Physical games are different from rough games and rough games are different from dirty games. Burger King was downright dirty and wicked against Smart Gilas.
– Noli Eala, SBP executive director
The former PBA commissioner also took a swipe at Arboleda, Burger King rookie Ronnie Matias and the pro league as a whole.

“PBA players have no right to attack a fan, no matter the provocation. And this is the 3rd time in less than a year sa PBA? What's going on?" said Eala.

The SBP executive said he had no problem with the final outcome of the game but that he’s disgusted with the roughhouse antics thrown at the Gilas players.

“A rookie like Matias will not commit flagrant fouls lest he knows na di siya papagalitan. Smart Gilas is playing in the PBA to get good tough games. No problem losing to Burger King because its part of learning. But it’s how we lost that sucks," he said.

“I have never seen a game with 4 flagrant fouls on a team in one half. Then an attack on a fan. You think this happened by chance?" he added.

Burger King coach Yeng Guiao said Smart Gilas should get used to the quality of games in the PBA.

“Games in the PBA are physical, but I assume the international competitions are more physical, so they get themselves used to the games here," he said.

Games in the PBA are physical, but I assume the international competitions are more physical, so they get themselves used to the games here.
– Yeng Guiao, Burger King coach
Guiao explained his Burger King squad came out better prepared against Rajko Toroman and his troop, benefiting from his experience as coach of the Powerade-Pilipinas team that lost to Smart Gilas, 69-98, in a charity game two weeks ago.

“Malaking bagay yung nakalaro namin sila (in the charity game), which is why we were able to prepare against them," said Guiao. “The only way to beat them is to beat their system. We were able to do a good job stopping their hand offs, pick and rolls and back picks."

The multi-titled PBA coach sees Smart Gilas heading on the right track, but he has an unsolicited advice to CJ Giles, Gilas’ American reinforcement who’s up for naturalization.

“He’s just one. He should learn how to be careful from picking up fouls," said Guiao, who coached Powerade-RP to eighth place in the last FIBA Asia Championship in Tianjin, China. “The quality of play depreciates every time he’s not inside the court."